Suggestions for a new Camera - Trip around Vietnam for a month

Hey guys,

I'm a complete noob when it comes to cameras, so please excuse my ignorance in advance.

I'm off to Vietnam/Cambodia/ next month and would love a new camera to take with me. When I travelled to Europe 4 years ago I bought a Panasonic tz20 which was quite good at the time with GPS and 21 x optical zoom. This camera has had quite a few faults since and I wouldn't mind something more up to date.

I would love to try a DSLR camera, but have never used one before. Are they quite easy to use? Will I see any benefits as an amateur? I do quite like photography and would look at doing a short course.

Budget - $500 would be my max. Obviously as i'm travelling overseas TRS will be an option, so I can stretch this slightly if I buy from a local retailer.

Thanks guys!

Comments

  • Might get a ball rolling - this is what I've found so far.

    Thoughts?

    http://www.teds.com.au/fuji-x-m1-16-50mm-kit-black

  • I'm also going traveling around Vietnam for a month soon and have just bought camera to take with: I bought a compact camera to replace my DSLR.

    I believe that if you've got a reasonably good compact camera then 90% of photography is with the user not the camera itself. You'll be hard pressed to take better scenery or snapshot pictures with a DSLR. The times when a DSLR can do a noticeably better job is in difficult lighting conditions (like low light) and for large format prints/displays. A DSLR also lets you use filters (not usually possible on a compact) and use different lenses for specific purposes, eg for high quality macro photography or for long focal lengths. But a DSLR takes up half your daypack and is a hassle to use for traveling.

    Last year I traveled around Europe with with a minimilast DSLR kit (small camera bag, one lens, a couple of filters, no external flash). It was doable but by the time the lens's auto-focus stopped working I was convinced to buy a smaller travel camera. I'm now seeing how I can make a filter adapter for it as I really like my polarizing filter.

    So often I've seen people buy a DSLR and then leave it permanently on Auto mode. If you're going to do that there's no point in having a DSLR at all.
    I suggest you get a compact camera with a large sensor and which allows full manual control (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, etc). By the time you've learned to use it effectively it will probably be time to replace it.

    • My compact is a Canon G7X, but the way. $470 from Kogan on a recent eBay special.

      • Thanks heaps for your time mate. am liking the DSC-RX100.. any reason why you would choose the G7X over it?

        Cheers

        • The quality and features are pretty close to the RX100 Mk 3 but the Canon won on price.
          Compare the G7X and all the RX100 models here. Read through the reviews on each of them for more info.

  • I bought a Sony RX100 Mk3 recently and it is absolutely fantastic. Still one of the best travel cameras available. The Mk4 is out now so the Mk3 will be pushed down in price.

  • I did a 20 day trip to Vietnam in April and I left my Canon 6D and and 4k in lenses at home and I'm glad I did.

    I ended up taking a Canon S120, great little camera that will fit in a pocket and has good image quality. The Canon G16 is a good one too but a bit harder to fit in a pocket. Buy a few extra batteries on ebay as most small cameras don't have good battery life.

  • +1

    Do yourself a favour and don't get a DSLR they are heavy, bulky and they are a magnet for theft. If you insist on not getting a point and shoot you could go for a compact system - not as heavy as a DSLR but still great photos.

    Depends what type you want..

    DSLR -> Canon Eos 700D
    System -> Olympus OM-D E-M10
    Ultra Zoom -> Nikon Coolpix P900
    Point and shoot -> Sony DSC-RX100

    • Thanks everyone. I'm fairly set on the DSC-RX100 after your advice.

      Seems to a lot cheaper from overseas retailers. Is warranty an issue when buying overseas? Either Kogan at $420 or Topbuy $410 ~ seems to be the cheapest

      http://www.topbuy.com.au/catalog/product/view/id/23362

      Can anyone do better?

      • Also noticed the Mk3 DSC-RX100 - are we referring to the original camera or the mk3?

        Cheers,

      • Note that the model you linked to is the first model RX-100. Its replacements (the RX-100 II and RX-100 III) were big improvements. The new model is the RX-100 IV.

        • Am i correct in saying they are far outside my $500 budget? Would you still recommend the first generation model if i'm unable to stretch this, or would you recommend another model completley?

        • @philmurray91: I wouldn't recommend the MK 1 as it was released in 2012 so you are buying a 3 year old camera. I highly highly recommend the MK 3 it is a bit outside your budget but it is a excellent camera.

          If that definitely is out of your range the next best thing is the G7X

        • @knick007:

          Excellent.

          Thanks heaps for your help. I'll grab the G7X!

        • @philmurray91: no problems but where are you getting a sub $500 G7X?? If you want to do the TRS you need a business with a ABN

        • @knick007:

          Dude, there's nothing wring with the RX100 MkI over the others, given the price differences. The newer models boast slighly improved low light shooting and various cosmetic features, like movable LCD screens. At roughly $400 vs $650 vs $950 for the Mk I vs II vs III, it's not really worth the extra price.

          The Mk I is a fantastic camera today in 2015 for the price, and I'd recommend it highly.

    • @iratepirate RX100 Mk4** you need to be very specific. The mk1 wasn't that great and places like JB still sell it.

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